Darren Collis, of Rockall Close in Haverhill, appeared at Peterborough Crown Court on Friday, October 23, where he was handed an extended licence totalling 17 years, including 11 years in prison and six years on licence.
Collis pleaded guilty to a range of offences, including sexual communication with a child, causing a child to watch a sexual act, grooming, arranging to meet a child, causing a child to engage in sexual activity and making and distributing indecent images of children.
The court heard that in May 2025, Collis began communicating on Snapchat with what he believed to be a 14-year-old boy.
The account was a police decoy.
READ MORE: Five of the biggest cases heard at Ipswich Crown Court this week
Despite being told the boy was 14, Collis continued the conversation, sent explicit images and attempted to arrange a meeting.
He also mentioned speaking with another boy, aged 13.
Collis was arrested at Cardinal Park in Ipswich on May 28, 2025, after arranging to meet the decoy.
A search of his home led to the seizure of multiple devices, which revealed further sexual conversations with children under 16.
Police identified 15 victims, who have since been offered support.
READ MORE: Man with more than 1,500 child abuse images had ‘extreme’ dog pornography
Detective Sergeant Mark Cotton from the Suffolk Internet Child Abuse Investigation Team: “Darren Collis is a serious, online predator who groomed his victims in order to meet up with children and commit serious sexual offences.
“His conviction has come as a result of partnership working with the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU), which works proactively to identify and track online sexual predators.
“I would like to thank them and everyone who has worked on this investigation, especially DC Rachael Adams and PSI Josie Phillips, whose hard work included identifying and locating victims from across the country.
“It is a combination of everyone’s efforts that has ensured a dangerous predator is now behind bars.
“No family should have to go through what Collis has subjected his survivors to, and I would like to commend the victims and their families for their help and courage in bringing this sexual predator to justice.
“We are committed to bringing to justice those who engage in these crimes.”
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